Clothes wringer



Jan. 17, 1928.

J. F.` RussELl.

CLOTHES WRINGER INVENToR.

ATTORNEYS.

u, N uw... Y

Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

um'ran STATES PATENT-OFFICE..

JOSEPH I?. BSSELL, F OA'KLA'ND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB TO- JOHNSON 'WASHER COMPAY, OF OAKLAND, CALH'OBNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORl'iTIA.VJ

cLoTHEs wnmenn.

applicati@ mea may 4, 1925. serial no. 27,650.

'lhis invention relates to clothes wringers and particularly to domestic power driven wringers of the reversible type.

A considerable number of power driven t clothes wringers for domestic use are being manufactured and sold and while they are i'airly simple to manipulate from a-mechanical point of view and are also efficient in operation they meet with one common oblo jection; that is, clothing will sometimes become accidentally wrapped vabout the wringer rolls and the clothesusually become ripped or torn before the operator has time to disconnect the drive or shut olf the power. rlhe object f thepresent invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of wringers ot the character described and particularly to overcome the objection above referred to, ,to proat vide a wringer in which the wringer rolls are maintained in yielding contact with relation to each other by spring tension, to provide means whereby the spring tension on the rolls may be either automatically or tt manually released if clothin becomes accidentally wrapped about the rolls, 'and further to provide an automatic or manual release which may be Operated from either side of the wringer, this feature being ot t@ particular importance as the wringer is reversible and the operator may therefore stand on either side of the wringer and' manually release the spring tension mechanism when required. v

@ne form which my invention may assume is exemplied in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a side elevation of the wringer.

Fig. 2 is a plan view partially in sectlon.

Fig. 3 is an end view.

Referring. to the drawings in detail and particularly to Fig. 1, A indicates in general a clothes wringer consisting of a main frame B in which is journalled a pair ot horizontally disposed wringer rolls 2 and 3. The trame beam is attached toa housing generally indicated at This housing encloses a driving mechanism consisting oi a driving shaiit d, a driven shaft 5 to which the lower wringer roll 2 is attached, a pair of bevel gears 6 and 7, and a driving bevel gear 8. 'lhe gears 6 and 7 are loosely mounted on the driven shaft and they are both provided with clutch iaces as 'shown at 9. .d

clutch member is s lined on the shaft and is adapted to be tlhrown into engagement with one or another of the cooperating clutches carried by the gears 6 and 7 When engagement is made with the clutch on the gear 7 the rolls 2 and 3 are driven in one direction, for instance-ahead, and `if the clutch is thrown into engagement with the gear 6 and its cooperating clutch a reverse drive is transmitted. Gears 6 and 7 remain -in constant mesh with the driving gear 8 'fixed partei a domestic clothes washing machine. 'lhe -driving shalt 1l' extending through the tube may derive its power from any source desired or may be driven as an auxiliary to the mechanism of the washing machine to which it is connected. 'lhis feature does not form any part of the present mechanism and illustration thereof is thought unnecessary.

The main feature or the present invent-lon is the provision of means for maintaining the wringingrolls 2 and 3 in yielding contact with relation to each other by means oi spring tension, and to provide means for automatically or manually releasing the spring tension on the rolls it clothing becomes accidentally wrapped about the same. t5 To clearly illustrate this feature, reference will' be particularly made to Figs. 2 and 3. The main frame B is provided with end frame sections generally indicated at D and F. Slid-ably mounted in the end frame sectto tion F is a pair of superposed bearing mem- `bers 14 and 15. These bearings are substany tiallysquare in shape when viewed from ythe end as shown in Fig. 3 and they are free to move in a vertical direction within guide tot grooves formed in the end trame 1F. llach bearing member carries an antidriction bearing consisting ol a plurality of ball bearings 16 which surround and support a bushing 17. A shaft l@ carries the lower roll and this tio shaft is extended and connected with the driven shaft 5 so that it will be continuouslv rotated in one direction or another through the gear transmission illustratedby the gears 6, 7, and 8. The upper bearing member 15 is similarly provided with antiriction bearings and a bearing bushing which is supported thereby, and the wringer roll 3 is secured to a shaft 19 which is journalled therein. The upper wringer rollv 3 will accordingly rest by gravity on the lower wringer roll and as the weight of the upper roll 1s not sutlicient to properly wrlng the clothes it is obvious that pressure must be exerted on the upper` roll to vproduce the proper action. Thisis accomplished as follows: Formed on one side of the end lug F is an outwardly projecting flange 20. This lug has a cored or drilled opening formed therein through which a bolt 21 extends. The lower end of the bolt is threaded and provided with an adjusting nut 22. A helical spring is interposed bet-Ween the nut and the under side of the lug 20 as shown at 23 and a combination spring tensioning and releasing lever is pivotally conncctedwith the upper end of the bolt at the point indicated at 23a. The lever proper is nothing more or less than an elongated plate such as shown at 24. It is forked at one end as shown at 25 to permit the upper end of the bolt or rod 21 to .pass therethrough. A. pin 23* is passed throu h the upper end of the rod and the forked member 25 and a pivotal connection is in this manner formed. The lower faces of the forked members 25 are cam shaped as shown at 26 and it is accordingly possible to increase and decrease the tension of spring 23 by swinging the lever about the pivotal point 23a. The o posite end of the lever is slotted as at 27 an a l'atching lever 28 is adapted to pass therethrough to secure-the lever in the orizontal position shown in Fig. 3. AThe latchingr lever 'may be manually released or automatically released as hereinafter described. `Formed on the under side of the lever 24, approximately centrally thereof, is a central r1b or projection 30. This rib enga es the upper bearing member 15 and as suc exerts a downward pressure on the bearing andthe shaft and rollers supported thereby. This tension may be increased or decreased by merely adjusting the position of the nut 2,2.I The end frame D 1s identical in-construction with the end frame F; that is.`

it is provided with bearing members 14 and 15 to support the shafts 18 and 19, it is provided with a lever such as shown at 24, a locking latch 28, and a bolt and spring such as shown at 23 to exert a downward pressure on the. lever 24 and the bearing member engaged thereby. The only difference between the mechanism disposed in the end frame F and in the frame D is that one is reversed with relation to the other. By referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the spring 23 and the ulcrum point for the lever 24 carried by the frame D is disposed on one side of the wringer rolls and the spring 23 and fulcrum point for the 'lever 24 are disposed on the opposite side on frame F. This is of material importance as the wringer is reversible and it is thus possible for the operator to releasel the s ring tension on the rolls when standing eit er on one side or the other by merely manually tripping the locking latch 28. For the purpose of autpmatically releasing the spring tension, or, 1n other words, releasing the locking latches 28 at one end of the frame or the other, a pair of guide plates 40 and 41 are employed. These plates extend substantially from end to ,end of the wringer rolls and they are provided with upwardly extending end sections 42 which are pivotally mounted in the end frames as indicated at 43. One end plate 42 is extended to form the locking latch 28 and the other end plate on the opposite side is a'lso vextended to form a locking latch 28, this being necessary to permit reversal of the springs 23 and the releasing levers 24. The guide plates serve two functions. First, that of directing the clothing inwardly between the rollers when wringing the same, and, secondly, that of automatically releasin the spring tension upon the rolls if clot 'ng should become accidentally wrapped about the same. This operation'is accomplished as follows: By referrino to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the inner edges of the guiding plates 40 and 41 assume a position where they substantially contact with the lower wringer roll 2, hence if clothing should become accidentally wrapped about the lower wringer roll it can readily be seen that the increased diameter of the roll caused by the wrapping of the clothing thereabout would cause the clothing to engage the inner edges of the guide plates 40 and 41. They would consequently be forced outwardly away from the rolls and as such would swing about the fulcrum points 23a. The locking` latches 28 will then spring inwardly and release the levers 24. Danger of ripping or tearing the clothing will thus be obviated as all pressure is released and the operator will at the same time be warned as the sudden release of one or both of the levers 24 would cause suf icient noise to attract the operators attention. It might be stated that actual experience has proven that only one end of the upper wringer roll is usually released when clothing becomes wrapped about the lower roll. For instance, if the lower wringer roll is rotating in one direction and the clothing starts to wrap around the same the greatest thickness will be assumed on the side which Int is engaged bv the guide plate 41.' This will l drive or shut off the power, the secondlguide late would be engaged and swung outwardy and both ends of the upper roll would be released. The upper roll could then be removed, .if desired, to facilitate unwrapping of the clothing from about the lower roll, and in` fact the lower roll could also be removed if desired as both ,bearings shown at 14 an l5 are freely movable in the end frames D and F. -y

The mechanism as a whole is simple and substantial in construction and simple to operate. The housewife or other individual operating the wringer may stand on either side of the same and may manually release the spring tension on the rolls from either side. 'lhe wringer mechanism is furthermore provided with means for automatically releasing the spring tension and danger of ripping or tearing the clothing is therefore entirely obviated.

While certain features of the'present invention are more or less specifically illustrated, l wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. l similarly wish it understood that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand;

Having thus described my invention, what lt claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A l. A wringer comprising a frame, a pair of wringer rolls journaled therein, spring pressure means for maintaining the rolls in yielding contact with relation to each other, a guide plate disposed on one side of the wringer rolls to direct clothing inwardly between the rolls, means for permitting movement of said guide plate if clothing becomes accidentally wrapped about the wringer rolls, and means actuated by movement of. said plate for releasing the spring pressure on one end of the rolls.

2. A wringer comprising a frame, a pair of wringer rolls journaled therein, a pair of pressure actuated members maintaining the rolls in yielding contact with each other, a pivotally mounted guide plate disposed on one side of the wringer rolls to direct clothlili titi

ing inwardly between the rolls, said plate adapted to swing about its pivot if clothing becomes accidentally wrapped about the wringer rolls, and means actuated by pivotal movement of the guide plate for releasing pressure on one end of the wringer rolls.

3. A wringer comprising a main frame having a pair of spaced end frames formed thereon, a pair of lower bearing members in the end frames, a driving shaft journaled therein and .carrying a wringer roll, a pair of upper bearing members, one in each end frame, a shaft journaled therein and carrying an upper wringer roll, means permitting free vertical movement of said last named `bearing members, a nivotally mounted lever on one ofthe end frames, said lever being engageabl'e with the adjacent bearing of the upper wringer roll to exert a downward pressure thereon, spring means engageable with one end of sald lever to exert a constant downward pressure on the lever and the upper bearing member with which it engages, and a locking latch engaging the opposite end of said lever to retain said lever in engagement with the upper bearing member.

4. A wringer comprising a lmain frame having a pair of spaced end frames formed thereon, a pair of lower bearing members in the end frames, a driving shaft journaled therein and carrying a wringer roll, a pair of upper bearing members,` one in each end frame, a shaft journaled therein and carrylng an upper wringer roll, means permitting free vertical movementvof said last named bearing members, a pivotally mounted lever on one of the end frames, said lever being engageable with the adjacent bearing1 of the upper wringer roll to exert a downward pressure thereon, spring means engageable with one end of said lever to exert a constant downward pressure on the lever and the upper bearing member with which it engages, a locking latch engaging the opposite end of said lever to retain said lever in engagement with the upper bearing member, and means whereby the locking latch and the lever is automatically'released if clothing becomes accidentally wrapped about the wringer rolls.

5. A wringer comprising a main frame having a pair of spaced end frames formed thereon, a pair of lower bearing members in the end frames, a driving shaft journal'ed therein and carrying a wringer roll, a pair of upper bearing members, one in each end frame, a shaft journaled therein and carrying an upper wringer roll, means permitting free vertical movement of said last named bearing members, a pivotally mounted lever on one of the end frames, said lever being engageable with the adjacent bearing of the upper wringer roll to exert a downward pressure thereon, spring means engageable with one end of said lever to exert a constant downward pressure on the lever and the upper bearing member with which it engages, a locking latch engaging the oppositeend of said )lever to retain said lever in engagement vwith the upper bearing member, a guide plate pivotally mounted on the main frame on one side of the wringer rolls and adapted to direct clothing inwardly between the wringer rolls, said plate adapted to swing about its pivotal mounting if clothing becomes accidentally wrapped about the wringer rolls, and means whereby pivotal movement of the guide plate is transmitted tot to release the locking latch and the lever c0- operating therewith.

6.- Awringer comprisingl a main frame having a pair of spaced end frames formed thereon, a pair of lower bearing members mounted in the end frames, a driving shaft journaled therein and carrying a lower wringer roll, a pair of upper bearing members, one in each end frame, said bearing members beingr vertically movable in the end frames, a shafty journaled insad bearings and carrying an upper wringer roll, a pivotally mounted lever on one end frame, one end of said lever being engageable with the adjacent upper bearing member to exert a downward pressure on said bearing member and the upper wringer roll carried thereby, a cam member at one end of the lever, a downwardly projecting bolt connected to 20 said cam and olf-center with relation thereto, a vspring' engageable with the bolt intending to rock the lever about its cam to assume a vertical position, a locking latch engageable with the opposite end of the lever and securing the lever in a position where it will exert a downward pressure on the upper bearing` member and the wringer roll journaled therein, a uide plate pivotally mounted on one side ogi adapted to direct clothing inwardly between the rolls, said ivotal mounting permitting outward swingmg movement of the guide plate if clothing becomes accidentally wrapped about the wringer rolls, and means whereby outward movement of the guide plate about its pivots is transmitted to release the locking latch and the lever engaged thereby to relieve the wringer roll of spring pressure.

JOSEPH F. RUSSELL.

the main frame and' WMMMMMWMMMMW 

